Houston County, created in 1821 from Creek Indian land, is named not for Sam Houston of Texas as many assume but for Governor John Houston of the Revolutionary period. (The name is correctly pronounced House-ton.) He called the first gathering of the Sons of Liberty in 1774, participated as a member of the Continental Congress and served as governor from 1778 to 1784. Perry, the county seat, honors Captain Oliver H. Perry who defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.